Breathing life into gasping DTC acid test for AAP govt

As per the recent audit report, presented by Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai in the ensuing Budget Session of Delhi assembly, DTC has incurred Rs. 1363 crore loss in <g data-gr-id="36">financial year</g> 2013-14 and an accumulated loss of Rs. 17,607 crore by 31 March 2014.

“The corporation achieved less than the targeted income during the year 2013-14 as compared to the revised budget estimates (RE). The overall earning during the year was Rs. 1229 crore against the projected earning of Rs. 1261 crore,” said the report commenting on <g data-gr-id="37">overall</g> financial performance of the public carrier. 

“The loss was due to decrease ticketed income, decrease in kilometers operated in 79.75 lakhs and less number of buses on <g data-gr-id="53">road</g> daily during the year,” stated the report. The ageing fleet of DTC buses has emerged as <g data-gr-id="51">major</g> challenge for <g data-gr-id="52">financial</g> health of DTC. The average fleet during 2013-14 was 5347 buses while at the end of the year it reduced to 5223 <g data-gr-id="49">buses,”said</g> the report. It means around 124 buses were retired which were 164 in the previous year. 

The percentage utilisation of buses was reported at 85.41 percent which was 86.09 in the previous year. “In 2013-14, average 5,347 buses per day were on road which travelled 8.67 lakh km per day and carried 43.47 lakhs passengers per day,”said the audit report. DT<g data-gr-id="45">C in its </g>city operation earned Rs 1055 crore per km while it was projected at Rs 1099 crore. However, DTC performed better in NCR operation where it registered an increase of Rs 90.41 lakh in 2013-14.

In the <g data-gr-id="41">year</g> DTC earned Rs 38.81 per km while the working expenditure was Rs 68.58 per km. The <g data-gr-id="40">corporation</g> however, slightly managed to improve the situation as it suffered working loss of Rs 942 crore which was estimated to be Rs 990 crore for the year 2013-14. DTC which has been suffering from losses since past several years had registered Rs 2914 crore loss in financial years 2012-13 and Rs 2431crore in the financial year 2011-12.

Delhi government in its maiden budget has proposed Rs 5,085 crore for transport out of which Rs 3,695 is for plan outlay. The government wants to purchase 1,380 new semi-low floor buses, 1,000 cluster buses and construct 1200 new bus queue shelters in the city. The government plans to add 10,000 new buses in the city in coming years.